Accidently left the cap off when rinsing Knighthawk with AIR2

[ScubaDoo83]

I accidentally left the rubber cap off the AIR2 when rinsing it yesterday in a tub of fresh water. How screwed am I? What should I look for?

 

[redacted]

You are looking at this in the wrong way. Truth is, you are finally going to get your Air2 cleaned as it should be cleaned. There is nothing inside the Air2 that will be damaged by clean fresh water. That rubber cap is really there to keep errant particles from getting in and to protect the edge which seals against a seat in the QD connecter. It is good to run clean fresh water through all openings in an Air2 as part of your regulator/BCD cleaning routine. (BTW, I prefer soaking to rinsing after a trip so my gear gets a 6 to 8 hours in the tube.) The only thing you really need to make sure you keep water out of is the inside of your 1st stage. When you are done, either hook to a tank to blow out water or shake any water out as well as you can, working those buttons. Then let it dry well before putting it away.

 

[ScubaDoo83]

Right on, thanks. I saw a bunch of arguing back and forth on the topic elsewhere on the net so just wanted to get a second opinion honestly. Speaking of the 1st stage, is there something you can buy that protects that opening better than the dust cap?

 

[kelemvor]

I always submerge and wash my air2 pretty well. I breathe it every few dives just to make sure it's still tip top. So far, so good.

 

[redacted]

Right on, thanks. I saw a bunch of arguing back and forth on the topic elsewhere on the net so just wanted to get a second opinion honestly. Speaking of the 1st stage, is there something you can buy that protects that opening better than the dust cap?

If you put it on a tank under pressure, you can't go wrong. That said, I almost always just use the "protective cap" (dust cap is a misleading term) and have never had any problem with my regs. Although, forgetting the cap. failing to install it correctly, or trying to use a defective cap will get water where you don't want it. Plastic caps with o-rings need to be inspected closely for missing o-ring or cracked plastic.

 

[mick allein III]

Ditto awap. I service SP regs. You did nothing to hurt the AIR 2. If you dive salt water, keep your reg pressurized on the cylinder and let it soak in clean fresh water. Another thing you can do is just do a fresh water dive following salt water.

 

[Buoy_A]

You would do well to even take it a step further and rinse your AIR2 w. one of these flush hoses. AIR2 type devices are one of the most problematic pieces of gear. Thoroughly rinsing w. fresh water will reduce your likelihood of problems.

 

[BDSC]

AIR2 type devices are one of the most problematic pieces of gear. Thoroughly rinsing w. fresh water will reduce your likelihood of problems.

Been diving AIR 2's for 23 years with never a single problem. I actually don't know of anyone who dives one that has had a problem. But I do like the flush hose you posted.

 

[mick allein III]

Im with buoy. Never had any real problem with my AIR 2. The only thing I've ever seen happen is dirt, vegetation, or salt gets stuck on the edge of the exhaust valve. When you breathe in with you kit not pressurized it doesn't make a seal. This should be caught on any predive check. Simply remove exhaust cover and clean out debris and recheck that you can create a vacuum. My AIr 2 has been very reliable .

 

[cascas]

If you do get water in your 1st stage, don't panic. Just drown it in clean fresh water, tap water is clean enough. Remove your spg or computer if it's air integrated. Cap the port and just connect your 1st stage to a tank. Turn on the pressure and purge all 2nd stages. Then connect a bc or airgun to the inflator and or dry suit hose and purge those. Do it for several seconds on each hose. That will dry your 1st stage good enough. Nothing to worry about.